ostrom



(No Model.) 3 sheetssheet 1. P. W. OSTROM. BUIToNHOLI: SEWING ANDCUTTING MACHINE.

No. 581,031. Pa'tentedA-pr. 20, 1897.l

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(No ModeL) F. W. OSTRO'M.

BUTToNHoLE SEWING AND CUTTING MACHINE.

No. 581,031. Patented Apr. 2o, 1897.

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I'. W. OSTROM.

- BUTTONHOLE SEWING AND CUTTING MACHINE.

Patented Apr. 20, 1897.

Nrrn *raras FREELAND W. OSTROM, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TOTHE WHEELER da W'ILSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BUTTONI-IOLE SEWING AND CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 581,031, dated April20, 1897.

I Application filed August 2, 1895. Serial No. 558,010. (No model.)

Toa/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FREELAND W. OsTRoM, of Bridgeport, in the county ofFairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement inButtonhole Sewing and Cutting Machines, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, isaspecilication, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

1o This invention is an improvement in the well-known Vheeler du Wilsonbuttonhole sewing and cutting machine, wherein the requiredbuttonhole-slit is cut by a single thrust of a broad-bladed cutter; andmore particularly it is an improvement upon the cutting mechanism setforth in United States Letters Patent No. 439,680, granted to meNovember 4, i890. In that invention a trip mounted upon the rotaryfeed-wheel of the zo Work-feed mechanism is employed, which in therotation of the feed-wheel acts upon a train of connections to bringabout an engagement between a cutter-bar rock-shaft and a depressormounted on the needle-bar rock- 2 5 shaft to thereby cause a depressionof the cutter to cut the buttonhole-slit coincident with a downthrust ofthe needle -bar, and, secondly, a cam or disengager mounted on thecutter-bar rock-shaft is employed to act upon 3o the train ofconnections and break the engagement of the train with the trip on thefeed-wheel during the rocking movement of the cutter-bar rock-shaft andthus permit the disengagement of the train from the depressor 3 5 andprevent a second downthrust of the cutter-bar and cutter during themaking of a single buttonhole. As is well known, the rotary feed-wheelupon which the trip is mounted has different rates of speed according to4o the length of buttonhole to be stitched and the lineness of stitch tobe made.

In this my invention I dispense entirely with the trip mounted on thevariably-movable feed-wheel and rely upon a reciprocating part of theordinary work-feed mechanism itself yto temporarily engage the primemember of the train of connections at a predetermined time in themovement of such reciprocating part to start the cutter mechanism into5o action, whereby I am enabled to simplify the construction of parts,to lessen the cost of the machine, and to obtain needed room between thehead and base of the machine.

My invention is set forth in the following description, and isparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure lis a rear side elevation of a buttonhole-machine embodying myinvention; Fig.

2, a front end elevation thereof; Fig. 3, a transverse Vertical sectionon line foto, Fig. l. 6o Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective of parts ofthe cutter mechanism broken away from the machine to more clearly showtheir construction and arrangement. Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective ofthe sleeved bell-crank, which is 55 loosely mounted on thecutter-barrock-shaft and to which is pivoted the prime member of theconnecting-train that contacts with a reciprocating part ofthe work-feedmechanism. Fig'. 6 shows in perspective what I herein 7o term thedisengager and which in Fig. 4 is made fast to the cutter-bar rock-shaftby means of a set-screw. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional detail of the leverD and lower arm c4 of the collar C on the line of the longitudinal axisof the pivot-screw d to show the cavity in the lower part of said arm c4and illustrating the coiled spring d2, encircling said pivotscrew andhaving one end fast in the arm c4 and the other end in the lever D. 8o

The bed-plate A, the work-feed mechanism, including the cloth-clamp T U,the heartcam disk E, the ratchet feed-wheel F, the cam-slide M, theslide N, the-lever I-I II', the link WV, actuated by the lever I-I II torotate 8 5 the feed-wheel F are all substantially as in United StatesPatent No. 303,557, granted August l2, 1884, to Andrew C. Campbell, as`signor to the Wheeler dr Wilson Manufacturing Company, ofBridgeport,Connecticut,and 9o the same parts, together with theneedle-bar rock-shaft B2, its crank B3, the link B4, and needle-bar B5,the cutter-bar rock-shaft o', its crank-arm b, collar a2, the cutter-bara, and attached cutter a are common to the machine shown in Patent No.439,680, granted to me as above referred to. So, too, as in the patentlast referred to, the needle-bar rockshaft B2 has fast on it a hookedcollar or depressor so, described in the patent as the colroo lar 26,having a pin or projection 25, and the cutter-bar rock-shaft has fast onit a collar r,

on which at r is pivoted a latch r2, (shown as acted upon by a springr3, (which in this instance acts on the lower free end of the latch o*to normally keep the said latch pressed inwardly to predeterminedposition adjacent the depressor 5c, which position can be regulated bymeans of the screw-threaded stoppin fri, which passes through the latchfr? and bears upon the collar r, as shown in Fig. l.

The purpose of the pin 50, the free end of which extends toward the backof the machine, so as to come within the confining inlluence of the loop5l, is to prevent the pessibility of the latch r2 being throwncompletely out of operative position with relation to the depressor a3.It will be perceived that the spring r3 holds the latch r2 toward thedepressor a, while the pin fr* permits by its adjustment the latch to beadjusted and held in adjusted position by said spring frS to thedepressor a; in one direction so that upon operation of the otheractuating parts the latch will be thrown into engagement with thedepressor a,while, on the other hand,when the latch is thrown out ofengagement with the depressor the pin 5l) and the loop 5l prevent thepossibility of the latch being thrown out ot operative position.

The spring y, one end of which is held in the collar y', made fast onthe cutter-bar rockshalt l) by the screw U2 and the other end of whichbears on the overhanging arm of the machine, as shown in Figs. l and l,serves to keep the cutter-bar a normally elevated and also holds thelatch r2 toward the depressor fc.

Against the collar c, (see Fig. 1,) made fast on the cutter-barrock-shaft b by means of the set-screw c, abuts a collar C, which isloose on said shaft and has a stop-linger c3, which bears against theunder side of the overhanging arm ol' the machine, as more clearly shownin Fig. 3, to limit the movement of said collaron said shattin onedirection, while movement thereof in the opposite direction is againstthe stress ofthe spring c3, attached to said collar and also pressingagainst the overhangingarm, as more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and l.

To the depending arm c1 of the collar C is pivoted the lever D by meansof the pivotserew d. Movement ot this lever on its pivotin one directionis restrained by the stop-piu (Z, fast in the depending arm ci, and tomove the lever in the opposite direction the stress of the coiled springdf (see Fig. 7) must be overcome. The stop-pin c7 limits the possiblemovement of the lever against the stress of the spring di, while theIiat spring c", tast 011 the collar C, may be utilized to hold the leverD against the stop-pin c? when it is desired to hold the lower end ofsaid lever out of contact with the slide N.

As shown more clearly in Fig. it, the lower end of the pivoted lever Dextends downward to the work-moving mechanism of the machine and isarranged in the path of the reciprocating slide N to be acted upon bythe latter at one end of its reciprocating movement. The upper end otthe leverD is curved outwardly, as shown in Fig. l, to project beyondthat side of the collar C nearest the cutter-bar, so as to be struck ata predetermined time by the pin or what I term the disengager 7.a,projecting from the collar K,which may be made fast on the cutter-barrockshatt in adjusted position by means of the set-screw lo. Byreference to Fig. (5 it will appear that the face of the collar Kadjacent the collar C has a projection k2, which enters the recess c"(sce Fig. 5) in the collar C, so that the shoulder k3 of the projection752 will be engaged by the shoulder at one end ol the recess c1. Therecess c1 is concentric willi the axis of rotation of the collar C onthe cutter-bar rock-shaft and is considerably larger circumfcrentiallythan the projection k2 of the collar K. Dy this construction it will beobserved that when the parts are fitted together and arranged as shownin Fig. l-, with the collar K made fast on the cutter-bar rock-shaft bythe set-screw 7n and the collar C loose on said shaft, outward movementof the slide N (see Fig. 4) will push the lower end of the lever Doutwardly, and in turn the collar C will be partially rotated on theeutter-bar .rock-shaft. ln this partial rotation of the collar C theshoulder ci ol.' the recess cl in said collar will push against theshoulder le of the projection 7.12 and force the collar K, and with itthe cutter-bar rock-shaft U, to which it is made fast, to partake of therotary movement el' the collar C, whereby the latch fr? will, partakingot' the movement of said shaft, be moved into the path of movement ofthe depressor az, which oscillates with the needle-bar rock-shaft D2,and be caught by it. At this juncture the needle-bar rockshaftispartaking of that movement by which it deprcsses the needle-bar. ln thecontinuation of such movement the hooked end ot' the depressor iscarried upwardly and takes with it the latch r2, which in turn furtherrotates the cutter-bar rock-shalt o to depress the eutterbar and cutter.ln this further rotation of the cutter-bar rock-shaft b the collar K iscarried with it, the excess of recess cL in the collar C over the sizeof the projection 7a2 of the collar K permitting the shoulder 7e3 tomove away from the shoulder c5, whereby the collar C is not moved by thecollar K. Further, it will be noted that in this partial rotation of thecollar K with the cutter-bar rock-shaft b the discngager or pin L movesupwardly and, contacting with the curved end ofthe lever D, whichprojects into its path of movement, turns said lever partially on itspivot-screw (Z in the direction to move its lower end toward thecutter-bar to take it ont of contact with the slide N and thus disengagethose parts or break the connection between said slide and the train ofconnections between it and the depressor )Vhen thus disengaged from theslide N, the lower end of the lever D, which I term the IIO IIS

prime member of the train, is thrown back into position against theprojecting end p of the cover-plate P by means of the stress of thespring c3 turning the collar C on the cutter-bar rock-shaft t to bringthe stop c2 up against the overhanging arm of the machine. Thus it willbe observed that this disengagement of the prime member of the train,the lever D, and slide N occurs during the downward thrust of thecutter-bar and cutter coincident with a downthrust of the needle-carrierto cut the buttonhole-slit through the operation of the depressor a; onthe latch r2 in engagement therewith. Now upon a reverse movement of theneedle-bar rock-shaft B to elevate the needle-carrier the hooked portionof the depressor x moves downward and permits the coiled spring y,acting on t-he cutter-bar rock-shaft h', to correspondingly elevate thecuttercarrier and to take the latch r2 out of the path of movement ofthe hooked portion of the depressor x, the disengagement of the primemember D from the slide N permitting the coiled spring y to thus act onthe latch r2. Thus it will be observed that upon the next elevation ofthe hooked end of the depressor x, due to oscillation of the needle-barrock-shaft B to repeat the downthrust of the needle-carrier B5, thedepressor cannot take hold of the latch r2, whereby a second actuationof the cutter-carrier and cutter is prevented in the making of a singlebuttonhole.

The slide N, in connection with the other parts of the work-movingmechanism, is fully set forth in United States Patent No. 303,557, abovereferred to. As there described, it will be found that the slide N has apredetermined or fixed endwise reciprocation in the coverplate P (markedD in Patent No. 303,557) in a plane crosswise of the bed-plate A. Thismotion is given thereto by means of the heartcam groove c' of theheart-cam plate E, engaging the roller c of the slide-bar N. Theheart-cam plate E is fast with the ratchetwheel F and rotates with itwhen the latter is acted upon by the pawl W'. The heart-cam plate E andratchet-wheel F make a single revolution in the operation of the machineto stitch a single buttonhole, and when the slide N is finishing itsstroke toward the back of the machine, substantially as shown in Figs. 3and 4, and the work-moving mechanism is actuated accordingly thestitching is then being done at the last portion of the last side of thebuttonhole. In the present instance the parts are so arranged andadjusted that it is during the stitching of the last portion of the lastside of the buttonhole that the slide N in the latter part of itslengthwise movement toward the back of the machine actsupon the primemember D of the train of connections to throw the latch r2 into the pathof movement of the hooked portion of the depressor to effect aconnection of the parts and bring about an actuation of the cutterbarand cutter by said depressor. So, too,

the collar K, carrying the pin 7C, can be adjusted on the cutter-barrock-shaft b and held in adjusted position by the set-screw 7d, so as torequire more or less throw on the part of the slide N before acting onthe prime member D sufficiently to throw the latch fr'2 into the path ofmovement of the hooked portion of the depressor az, so as to be engagedthereby.

When the lower end of the prime member D has been thrown out ofoperative contact with the slide N, as described, the prime member will,by the action of the spring d2, (see Fig. 7,) be caused to bear againstthe side of the slide N until in the further operation of .the machinethe projecting portion of the slide (sec Fig. 4) has been moved into thepart p of the cover-plate P, as when the machine is stitching along thefirst side of the buttonhole, whereupon said spring d2 will move thelower end of the prime member D into the path of movement of the slideN, so that upon its return stroke the slide will again engage the primemember to bring about the actuation of the parts, as above described.

1. In a buttonhole-sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-formingmechanism; a work-clamp; awork-clamp feed mechanism including areciprocating feed slidebar which has a constant undeviating endwisereciprocation, whatever may be the variations in the feed of thework-feed mechanism and the consequent feed movement of the work-clamp;a work-cutter and its carrier arranged in the head of the machine andnormally elevated 5 a depressor which ordinarily does no t depress thecutter-carrier and cutter; and connections between said slide-bar,cutter-carrier and depressor, the prime members of said connectionsprojecting into the path of movement of one end of said slidebar so asto be struck by said end only and at only one end of the endwisemovement of said slide-bar, to thereby set said connections in motion,whereby the depressor is temporarily caused to depress thecutter-carrier and cutter, substantially as described.

2. A sewing-machine containing the following instrumentalities, incombination, viz: stitch-forming mechanism; work-feed mechanismincluding a reciprocating feed slidebar which has a predetermined orendwise reciprocation whatever may be the feed of said work-feedmechanism; a cutter; a cutter-carrier; a depressor; connections betweensaid slide-bar, cutter-carrier and depressor, the prime member of saidconnections normally projecting into the path of movement of saidslide-bar so as to be struck thereby at one end of its endwisereciprocation to set said connections in motion,whereby the depressor istemporarily caused to depress the cutter-carrier and cutter to cut therequired buttonhole-slit; and a disengager to operate upon the saidconnections and temporarily break the connection between said IOO IIO

IIS

reciprocating slide-bar; cutter and depressor, and insure a singleactuation only of the cutter in the making of a single buttonhole,substantially as described.

In a buttonhole-sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-formingmechanism; a work-clamp; amechanism including a reciprocating feedslide-bar which has a predetermined or fixed endwise reciprocation foroperating the work-clamp; of a depressor operated by the actuatingmechanism of the sewing-machine; a work-cutter; its carrier; means toelevate the cutter-carrier and means to support it when elevated anddisconnected from said depressor; and connections between saidreciprocating slide-bar, cuttercarrier, cutter and depressor, the primemeinber of said connections normally projecting into the path ofmovement of said slide-bar so as to be struck thereby at one end of itscndwise reciprocation to set said connections in motion, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

l. In a buttonhole sewing machine, in combination with a stitch-formingmecl1anism; a work-clamp; and mechanism including a reciprocating feedslide-bar which has a predetermined or fixed endwise reciprocationwhatever may be the feed of said mechanism foroperating the work-clamp;of a cutter-carrier normally elevated; a cutter carried thereby; adcpressor operated by the needle-bar-actuating mechanism; andconnections between said slide-bar, cutter-carrier and depressor,the prime member of which projects into the path of movement of one end of saidslide-bar, so as to be struck by said end only and at onlyone end of theendwise movement of said slide-bar, whereby the cutter is thrown intoaction, substantially as described.

5. In a buttonhole sewing machine the combination with a stitch-formingmechanism includinga reciprocating needle-carrier; a work-clamp; andmechanism including a reciprocating feed slide-bar which has apredetermined or fixed endwise reciprocation for operating thework-clamp; a cutter-carrier normally elevated; a cutter of suitablelength to cut an entire buttonhole at a single stroke; a slottedthroat-plate through which the said cutter can descend; a depressoroperated by the needle-bar-actuating mechanism to cause a descent of thecutter-bar and cutter as a buttonhole is being completed; andconnections between the said reciprocating feed slide-bar, cuttercarrierand dcpressor, the prime member of said connections normally projectinginto the path of movement of said slide-bar, so as to be struck therebyat one end of its endwise reciprocation to set said connections inmotion, whereby the cutter is thrown into action; and a disengagercarried by said connections and operated thereby to break saidconnections between two descents of the needle-carrier, whereby a singleactuation only of the cutter is insured, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twosubscribing witncsscs, this th day of July, 1895.

FREELAND lV. OS"ROM.

fitnessesz .Lunas H. LANGE, ELnAxon F. GRoLL.

